Increase, Increase!

In this day of escalating prices, out of control debt, and worldwide insecurity, is there anything that we can count on to grow in a positive direction? Actually there are two things that we can have absolute assurance will keep on growing and growing. Neither of these can be adversely impacted by any company or country’s fiscal ups and downs. Nor are they subject to whims of policy. They defy the stress of emotional roller coasters and are not buffeted by adversity. In fact, they often display best in challenging times.

What are these two amazing entities, impervious to the storms and vicissitudes of life? What can supply you with stability and success in the midst of turbulence?

The source of these amazing things is not a “What” but a “Who”. And the “Who” is King Jesus. The two “things” are His Government and His Peace.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end….” Isaiah 9:7

When Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday and ascended to His Father’s throne, a brand new Kingdom, “The Kingdom of the beloved Son” [Colossians 1:13] commenced. Two attributes of this Kingdom are His Government and peace.

To get a picture of the “ever increasing” aspect of Jesus Kingdom we need to go back to the beginning. In Genesis 1:3 we read that God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. Astronomers have in recent years come to discover that the Universe, the light God called into being, is constantly expanding. Since the moment recorded in Genesis light has been ever increasing. In exactly the same way, since 2,000 years ago Jesus Kingdom has been continually increasing. And just like light, it never stops!

Another visual that has been gripping me this week comes from Daniel chapter two. The prophet has been given by God the interpretation of a troubling dream that King Nebuchadnezzar is struggling to understand. Without going into all the details here, the climax of the dream happens when a stone, cut out without hands, (prophetically representing Christ’s Kingdom) crushes a giant statue (representing the kingdoms of this world) and then grows to fill whole earth.

The image of that stone becoming a mountain that fills the earth is one the Lord wants you and me to hold on to. Every moment of every day His government is increasing in the earth. It has been expanding for 2,000 years and it’s only just begun!

The best news – this is not just a picture in a book. This is reality. His government and peace are continually increasing in you and through you. Ask Him to open your eyes to see what that looks like today.